


Prospects in Purple

by word_vomit (FallingStars5683)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Ancient History, Gen, I WILL NOT APOLOGIZE, Language History, Language Theory, Library, Literary References & Allusions, Literary Theory, Poetry, based off a tumblr shitpost
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-12
Updated: 2018-09-12
Packaged: 2019-07-11 09:25:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15969473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallingStars5683/pseuds/word_vomit
Summary: A simple observation from a confused alien turns into an endeavor in language. No one could have predicted this.





	Prospects in Purple

**Author's Note:**

> i saw a tumblr post and just,,, had to,,,  
> obviously some of the wording and grammar had to be shifted about a little but i think the synonyms work just as well  
> based off this tumblr post: https://greenpidgeyisbestpidgey.tumblr.com/post/177096179626

The library had a lot of plants in it. A lot of people would think this was a bad thing, but the librarian refused to remove them or get rid of the huge glass dome ceiling. It worked out just fine for the Voltron crew when they decided to get together on their breaks. It certainly led to an interesting conversation one day.

That day, everyone was sitting quietly, reading their respective tomes, when Romelle looked up from the botany book she was deep into with a very puzzled face and immediately walked over to the glass wall, staring out at the wildflowers.

Keith noticed the movement. “What is it, Romelle?” he whispered as loudly as he could without disturbing the head librarian, Mr. Greer. He was a nice man, but he took his job very seriously.

Romelle turned to him, struggling to get her words together. “Well, I was looking at these wildflowers, and...” She stared at the page one more time before turning back. “Roses are red, that may be true... _but violets are purple, not actually blue._ ”

Hunk, listening in, almost threw his book with how hard he threw up his hands. “ _Thank you!_ ” he whisper-yelled. “ _I cannot believe it took the alien to say it out loud._ ”

Mr. Greer turned to them, a disappointed look on his face, but before he could say anything, a “Tut-tut!” sounded from the other end of the group. Everyone turned to see Allura stand up, an almost smug look on her face. “They are purple, yes, but one thing you've missed: this view of purple didn't always exist!” At this, she brandished the language theory book she held in her hand.

“What--” Lance started, but was immediately shushed by Greer, who looked like he wanted to hear this.

Allura continued:

 

“Some cultures lack names

For a color, see;

Hence the scribe Homer

And his wine-dark sea;

 

A usage so quaint,

And phrasing so old,

For romantic verse

Is absolute gold!

 

So, roses are red;

Violets once blue;

I'm strangely precise,

But what else is new?”

 

Impressed, Greer clapped, and everyone else in the group filed in. Shiro nodded in appreciation. Flushed, and quite pleased with herself, Allura gave a little bow and resumed her seat.

“Aha!”

Everyone turned to the new challenger. The reactions given were a strange mixture of excited cheers and exasperated groans: Coran now had control of the floor, and in his hands was a thick history book.

Coran refrained:

 

“You're not incorrect

On Homer's wine sea;

Colors are part of

Folk fortuity;

 

Words are in flux;

And meanings, they shift;

But the word purple

You've given short drift!”

 

At this, Allura blushed, hanging her head just a little bit.

 

“The view of purple,

My comrades, is old;

And refers to stain

Once precious as gold;

 

By crushing molluscs

From said wine-dark sea,

You create a dye

Of royal decree;

 

Which meant that in Rome,

To wear _purpura_

Was a right reserved

For the emperor!”

 

The display was starting to attract more patrons of the library. Everyone now crowding around the group looked enraptured by the strange man speaking in verse. Greer and Shiro shared a look of pure entertainment.

 

“That small word, _purple_ ,

For clothes so fancy,

Was brought to English

In the ninth cent'ry;

 

So why are vi'lets

Not purple in song?

That mollusc's pigment,

Well known for so long,

 

Is near magenta;

More red than real blue!

The view of purple

Is old, and yet new!

 

The dye is too red,

So this may be true;

Roses are purple,

And violets blue!”

 

At this final hurrah, everyone erupted into applause. Greer came over and shook the old Altean's hand, calling him a literary spitfire. One person didn't seem to be celebrating with the rest, though. Someone who had been nursing a headache the entire day, and was now deciding to speak her point of view in the bluntest way possible.

Pidge stood up from her laptop screen and loudly stated:

 

“While this song makes me merry--

Dyes many a hue!

From magenta to berry,

And true purple too!--

 

As fun as it is

To watch this poetic race,

The answer is staring you

Dead in the face.”

 

In the silence that arose from her outburst, she drew in a breath and finished:

 

“Roses are red and violets are blue because _nothing fucking rhymes with purple!!!_ ”

 

Dead silence for the next two seconds, and then a cacophony of laughter ensued. Even Greer was coughing up a lung after the fact.

It didn't stop him from giving the girl a week-long ban for foul language.

 

**Author's Note:**

> well that was dumb gbye


End file.
